Boom—
In the sky, a towering, pale purple lightning bolt struck the turbulent sea from the gloomy rain clouds.
But even the explosive sound of air caused by the discharge of electric charges was not as loud as the roar of the giant beast emerging from beneath the Saltwind City Church cliff.
"Roar—!!!"
The cliff where Saltwind City Church is located is actually an artificial rockery built on the alloy deck of a mobile city.
It's just that because the main body of Saltwind City was tilted and the side facing the sea was submerged, it made the rockery seem to emerge from the sea, giving it a unique charm.
The original designers of the mobile city probably considered this place a religious attraction.
But now, whether it was the cliff made of huge stones or the alloy deck below, which could withstand heavy city defense cannons, both were torn apart by immense force, causing giant stones several meters in diameter to fall from the cliff face into the sea, stirring up towering waves.
And the colossal object that broke through the mountain wall and crawled out from the seabed was a giant beast beyond human imagination.
Deformed, twisted, just looking at it directly made one's heart pound with fear.
This enormous beast was over ten meters tall, like a fish with four limbs, or like a long-sunken shipwreck that had just been salvaged, covered in seaweed, barnacles, coral reefs, and various rusty scrap metals.
It had no eyes, but a particularly huge and ferocious mouth, and with its earth-shattering roar, soft-looking tendrils extended from all its limbs, gently lashing out and making the already unstable cliff even more precarious, causing large chunks of rock to fall.
"Wow, what kind of mini-Reilos Abyssal Monster is this—you guys usually fight against this thing?"
Standing on the edge of the cliff, Goki was sandwiched between Specter and Skadi, looking at the huge monster in front of him and the uncontrollable excitement of the two white-haired, red-eyed Abyssal Hunters, his expression a little strange.
Although Goki knew that the Abyssal Priest—now Cleric Quintus—would, after everything was exposed, choose to grow larger on the spot, just like various Ultraman villains.
But Goki remembered, he should have transformed into a spineless sea anemone, similar to a twin sunflower!
Low damage, unable to deplete Operator HP, large size, easily ganged up on in various ways, he could be said to be on par with Gestalt as one of the two weaklings; Cleric Quintus's transformed boss was even less threatening than a Kinder Surprise or a Rafflesia.
But now... this giant Seaborn in front of him was clearly not the kind Cleric Quintus transformed into.
"Hmm, I guess so, but they're not all this big. Generally speaking, ordinary Seaborn are only two or three meters, easy to kill. A big guy like this is a high-level Seaborn—I've never seen an enemy like this in shallow waters."
With her mechanical sword resting on her shoulder, her red skirt fluttering in the wind, and her white high heels stepping on a large rock, Skadi looked down at the roaring giant Seaborn below the cliff, all traces of sadness gone from her face.
Now, she no longer showed her previous confusion and melancholy; her blood-red eyes were filled with burning Battle Intent.
After all, she was no longer alone; she had not only found her Abyssal Hunter comrades but also friends from the land.
And now, the enemy Skadi had fought her entire life had also found its way to her.
So the only thing left to do was… hunt!
"Ahahaha, what kind of Seaborn is this? Skadi, did you see? This guy, who should be swimming in the sea, actually has limbs added on, it's like they were glued on—hahahahaha, an Aegir technician would probably spit blood if they saw this!"
On the other side, Specter grinned, clenching her sharp teeth together, and burst into laughter while holding her stomach, mocking the deformed beast.
Indeed, upon closer inspection, one would notice that the "limbs" of this giant Seaborn seemed to be composed of translucent, viscous tendrils and some black alloy skeletal structures.
Clearly, someone had helped the Seaborn "create" limbs, allowing it to move awkwardly in shallow water with the help of the alloy skeleton.
But even so, the gravity of the earth still restrained this giant beast; compared to its roar, its movements appeared exceptionally sluggish, like a large fish thrown onto land.
"I told you, those old guys from Aegir worry too much. They should have sent them into the sky with battleships long ago. After all these years, they can't even crawl onto land—what a bunch of failures."
Specter brazenly mocked the behemoth in front of her, showing no fear or retreat, but rather viewing it as prey.
Buzz—
The dark circular saw spun rapidly, splashing the falling raindrops. In Specter's momentarily clear red eyes, as her Battle Intent continuously rose, an ethereal white mist constantly flowed out—almost identical to the black mist after her previous berserk state?
"How about it, Young Master Goki, we two are planning to slaughter it. You're also a trained hunter, do you want to come along? You can have a share of the spoils."
Turning her head, Specter gave Goki a sweet smile, extending an invitation while wrapping her arm around his shoulder, pressing against him.
Although Specter had only just met this unfamiliar land dweller, she felt a natural affection for her savior.
This man named Goki was quite handsome, and his weapon was very interesting; Specter thought… he was pretty good.
But most importantly, he seemed to be emitting a fatal attraction, like the lure of blood to a shark, driving Specter to approach him, to understand his inner self… Looking at the black-haired man hidden beneath the black hat and black trench coat in front of her, Specter couldn't help but bury her nose in his blood-scented sleeve, taking a deep breath.
"Hiss—"
Then, before Goki could react, a pair of slender hands intervened between them, separating Goki and Specter with immense force.
"Alright, alright, Specter, fighting Seaborn is the responsibility of Abyssal Hunters, not Goki's. He doesn't have experience dealing with such large Seaborn; letting him go with us would only harm him."
Taking a silent step forward, Skadi stood in front of Goki and looked at him seriously.
"Goki, you wait for us here. Specter and I will go kill the Seaborn. Be careful."
Although her expression remained calm, Skadi's concern was genuine. These days, Goki had always cared for her, and she also wanted to protect Goki occasionally.
[Yes, that's right, just for protection.]
However, before Skadi's words had even faded, the cliff beneath their feet shook violently once again.
"Blasphemers, your day of reckoning is today. You have committed a great sin! You have desecrated the sacred creation, desecrated the ocean! This entire city shall be buried with your folly!"
Accompanied by somewhat clumsy, wobbly footsteps, the giant Seaborn slowly moved, stumbling and crashing against the cliff face.
It was then that everyone saw Cleric Quintus standing atop the Seaborn's head, his lower legs seemingly fused with the giant Seaborn.
[Unable to transform, is it because he hasn't researched to that point yet?]
Goki raised an eyebrow, thinking that must be the case. Compared to equipping giant Seaborn in the ocean with limbs, Cleric Quintus's ability to actively evolve infinitely after transforming in the main storyline was clearly more powerful.
If it weren't for Skadi, who seemed to possess the ability to suppress Seaborn and slow down their evolution, it might indeed be very troublesome.
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"Ha, looks like I have a target to follow too—you two deal with the Seaborn, I'll deal with him, how about that?"
Leaning on his retractable cane and gripping the pistol in his left hand, Goki's Battle Intent also soared.
"Although I'm not confident I can kill this big guy, fighting on his back is no big deal."
He had killed many giant beasts—the hairy Cleric Beast, the transformed Beautiful Nona, the burning Priest Laurence, the lightning-flashing Darkbeast, Ludwig, the former First Hunter with the Holy Blade… They were either monsters worth hunting or opponents worthy of respect.
But, clearly, none of them… were as gigantic in size as this "Seaborn" in front of him!
This was… a monster worth hunting!
Blood surged through his body, and Goki also grew excited as he looked at the twisted creation.
"Hahaha, I was right, Young Master Goki, you really are a hunter just like us—I think I'm starting to like you, so it's settled then!"
Excitedly sticking out her tongue, Specter gnashed her sharp teeth, winked playfully at Goki, then gripped the circular saw in her hand and crouched down.
Bang!
"Let's go! Skadi! Goki! We're going hunting—leave the last hit for me!"
Stomping the ground, leaving a deep indentation, Specter leaped several meters into the air, jumping without any protection towards the Seaborn's head below the cliff, her nun's robe fiercely dancing in the rain.
"Ha… not all Abyssal Hunters are like this. Don't get too close to her, or you might actually get eaten as prey."
Watching Specter charge out rapidly, Skadi turned her head and casually reminded Goki, then looked behind him.
"I'll go first then. You deal with this trouble first."
Similarly stomping the ground, Skadi leaped high, her greatsword emitting a loud roar.
"Wait, don't think you can leave—you Aegirians, what have you done to the church? Desecrating a holy place is a grave sin!"
Goki turned his head and saw that familiar figure—the grey-haired young Inquisitor.
He was panting heavily, holding a rapier in one hand and a sizable silver pistol in the other, clearly having just run all the way there.
He looked at the almost half-destroyed Iberia Church with astonishment, then vigilantly at Goki, issuing a warning.
He had initially thought that even if these two outsiders had ill intentions, they would maintain their disguise for a longer period. Who knew problems would arise so quickly?
Following a burst of intense gunshots, the Inquisitor found a seemingly ordinary research institute and questioned a Leithanien Feline scholar inside whose identity was verified. He found nothing unexpected.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw Saltwind City Church on fire.
"Aegirians, you infiltrate our country, cause the sea to die, spread heretical beliefs—and now you openly burn down the Iberia National Church. Put down your weapons; I will take you back to the capital for trial!"
The church was filled with burn marks, the clergy were nowhere to be seen, and below the cliff nearby, a massive, unimaginably huge beast was slowly approaching the land.
Of the people present, only the so-called "Skadi the Singer" who had just escaped, and this blood-soaked hunter, were there. For a novice Inquisitor, it was easy to make a simple judgment.
"Ha, Mr. Inquisitor, it's not good to be too prejudiced. The truth of the matter doesn't just require looking with your eyes; you also need to investigate and think carefully—the truth is right here, but you haven't realized it yet."
Seeing this passionate Inquisitor, Goki couldn't help but sigh. Listening to the roaring sounds from below, he approached the other party step by step.
And watching the hunter, leaning on his cane, continuously approaching, the young Inquisitor decisively raised his pistol and rapier, no longer retreating as he had last time.
"I'm warning you for the first time, you are attempting to assault an Iberia Inquisition enforcer. I have the right to use force against you—"
Clink—Clink!
With two crisp sounds, the cane transformed into a whip, extending like an arm. The blade easily cut shallow wounds on the Inquisitor's wrist, and taking advantage of the slight pain, it snatched away the pistol and rapier, throwing them several meters away.
"Wh—what—"
Then, a blow aimed at the vitals.
Thud.
A heavy punch landed, but it didn't pierce his vitals. Goki wouldn't kill innocent people indiscriminately.
"While enforcement procedures are crucial, when facing unknown dangers, it's best not to be so procedural—warn three times before acting? You'd be dead by then."
Smiling as he shook his hand, Goki easily subdued the young Inquisitor.
Although always with Skadi, Goki subconsciously felt he was weak, but in reality, even if his physical fitness returned to its initial state, his skills and combat awareness were still top-notch in Terra.
Dealing with this Liberi young Inquisitor truly didn't require much effort.
"Alright, before all the Inquisitors arrive, we will resolve this trouble. You can choose to believe your own eyes and think that we are deep-sea villains who have desecrated the gods."
Putting away his retractable cane and taking out the Saw Cleaver from behind him, a somewhat rough piece of paper appeared in Goki's hand.
"Or, you can choose to further seek the truth—there's an underground secret door behind the church that leads directly to the seabed. Perhaps you can discover… little secrets about Cleric Quintus there."
He rubbed the exceptionally rough piece of paper against the Saw Cleaver in his hand, amidst the pouring rain.
Whoosh—
A blazing inferno instantly rose.
"I don't like to lie much. I said I'm a hunter, so I am a hunter—but I prefer to hunt bigger prey."
Clang—Clank!
Swinging the burning great blade, Goki began to run rapidly, then suddenly leaped off the cliff.
At this height, even an Old Hunter would fall badly.
"The joyful hunt—begins!"
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